Academic Regalia (Gown and Hood)

Academic Regalia

Those graduating must wear an academic gown (black for undergraduate and master’s degrees; purple for doctoral graduates). Exceptions to this are Indigenous students who may opt to wear traditional regalia, active military personnel who may opt to wear their dress uniform and clergy/members of religious orders who may opt to wear their religious apparel. All graduates will have the appropriate degree hood placed on their shoulders while on stage as a symbol of completion of their degree. Hoods are not required for candidates from diploma and certificate programs, but it is permissible for them to wear hoods from previously earned degrees. All candidates for degrees have the right to wear a mortarboard on stage; however, they will be required to remove it when being hooded.